2016 Advocacy
The FCCI Advocacy Committee typically meets the first Tuesday of the month at 6:30pm. Interested in joining the committee? Contact Ariane at [email protected]
FCCI's Challenges/Solution List, September 2016
http://www.lcc.leg.mn/tfcc/meetings/160921/FCC_Challenges_Advocacy_9_20_16.pdf
FCCI's Challenges/Solution List, September 2016
http://www.lcc.leg.mn/tfcc/meetings/160921/FCC_Challenges_Advocacy_9_20_16.pdf
Legislative Task Force on Access to Affordable Child CareThe task force is created to review the loss of child care providers in the state, assess affordability issues for providers and parents, and identify areas that need to be addressed by the legislature.
SF 3208
Review past Task Force Meetings and Listen to Testimony
On Wednesday, September 21, 2016 Rochester provider and FCCI Advocacy Chair, Ariane Bromberg and provider Jen Besgen testified in person at the Task Force Committee meeting. Thank you both for attending in person!
The Meeting Materials and Audio link are on this page.
www.lcc.leg.mn/tfcc/meetings.html
Here is a run down of the agenda and time lines for when people where speaking
Beginning- the 50:03
Inspector General Jerry Kerber speaks broadly of the role and relationship of DHS to center and family child care, the safe sleep campaign and descriptions of how family child care is under Rule 2 and center care is under Rule 3. Q and A from legislators through out presentation
50:42 - 77:00
Dakota County Licensing staff speaks about the role of county licensing units and concerns providers shared with them. Discussion 77:00- approx 82:00
Representative Franson recap 82:00-85:45
Testimony from stakeholders beginning mark 86:15
Julie Seydel maccp.org 86:15-93:15
Ariane Bromberg, Rochester Provider and FCCI Advocacy Chair fccimn.com 93:20-99:20
Jen Bestgen, Rochester provider 99:20-1:04:30
Several other tesitfiers, followed by additional comments and Q and A
SF 3208
Review past Task Force Meetings and Listen to Testimony
On Wednesday, September 21, 2016 Rochester provider and FCCI Advocacy Chair, Ariane Bromberg and provider Jen Besgen testified in person at the Task Force Committee meeting. Thank you both for attending in person!
The Meeting Materials and Audio link are on this page.
www.lcc.leg.mn/tfcc/meetings.html
Here is a run down of the agenda and time lines for when people where speaking
Beginning- the 50:03
Inspector General Jerry Kerber speaks broadly of the role and relationship of DHS to center and family child care, the safe sleep campaign and descriptions of how family child care is under Rule 2 and center care is under Rule 3. Q and A from legislators through out presentation
50:42 - 77:00
Dakota County Licensing staff speaks about the role of county licensing units and concerns providers shared with them. Discussion 77:00- approx 82:00
Representative Franson recap 82:00-85:45
Testimony from stakeholders beginning mark 86:15
Julie Seydel maccp.org 86:15-93:15
Ariane Bromberg, Rochester Provider and FCCI Advocacy Chair fccimn.com 93:20-99:20
Jen Bestgen, Rochester provider 99:20-1:04:30
Several other tesitfiers, followed by additional comments and Q and A
2017 Legislative Session Opens January 3, 2017
Check back for updates, including a bill tracker for legislation impacting child care and early childhood education.
Snap Shot of what did and did not pass in the 2016 legislative session.
Early learning initiatives that did pass in budget bill:
- Voluntary Pre-K Program, $25 million (does not include K-12 license requirement)
- Parent Aware, $2 million
- Parent-Child Home Program, $2 million
- Minnesota Reading Corps, $1 million
- Northside Achievement Zone, $10,000
- St. Paul Promise Neighborhood, $10,000
- St. Cloud Early Learning Pilot, $430,000
- Child Care Business Start-up Manual, $100,000
- Start-up Grants for Child Care Businesses in Greater Minnesota, $500,000
- YWCA Early Childhood Job Training, $750,000
- Creation of a Child Care Task Force (SF3208)
- Early Learning Scholarships:
- Increase funding for priority groups and expanding to serve children ages 1-3
- Policy changes including:
- Extending required date to use scholarships at 3 or 4 star rated programs from July 1, 2016 to July 1, 2020
- Child Care Assistance Program
- Required changes needed to meet federal requirements of new Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) i.e. annual reauthorization.
- Increased provider reimbursement rates
- Reduction of the Basic Sliding Fee waiting list
- Afterschool community learning grants
- Increasing the size of the tax credit for most currently eligible families and individuals;
- Making some additional families and individuals eligible by increasing the incomes that they can earn and still qualify for the credit; and
- Reaching younger workers without dependent children by lowering the age requirement to qualify for the credit from 25 years old to 21.
- Increase the maximum amount of credit that families can receive to $1,050 for families with one child and $2,100 for families with two or more children.
- Increase the income that families can earn and still qualify for the credit to $44,900 for families with one child and $51,800 for families with two or more children.
HF 3436 A Bill from the Select Committee on Affordable Child Care to be introduced on March 8, 2016
April 21, 2016 Update on HF 3436:
Still moving forward are:
* background check changes that add a fingerprint requirement and transfer this task from the county to the state;
* Proposal to form a legislative task force to improve and streamline licensing requirements, trainings, and paperwork;
* mandatory training for licensors that includes information about providers' rights.
* A dedicated DHS employee to act as a liaison for providers.
HF 2498 : A bill for an act relating to zoning; requiring residential day care facilities for children to be located in the residence of the provider; amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 245A.14, subdivisions 1, 2; 462.357, subdivisions 7, 8. THIS BILL HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN
New, April 21, 2016 Congratulations providers! Your efforts made a big difference! The bill which FCCI alerted you to that would have prohibited providers from collecting the difference between the CCAP rate and your business rate is not being include in the Omnibus bills in either the House or Senate. The only block grant requirement moving forward this session is the background study/fingerprinting component. DHS has indicated they will be reaching out after session to work with providers on other components for next session.
We as providers can and are shaping the future of family child care. Join the FCCI advocacy committee to learn more and be involved in the next round of discussions!
April 21, 2016 Update on HF 3436:
Still moving forward are:
* background check changes that add a fingerprint requirement and transfer this task from the county to the state;
* Proposal to form a legislative task force to improve and streamline licensing requirements, trainings, and paperwork;
* mandatory training for licensors that includes information about providers' rights.
* A dedicated DHS employee to act as a liaison for providers.
HF 2498 : A bill for an act relating to zoning; requiring residential day care facilities for children to be located in the residence of the provider; amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 245A.14, subdivisions 1, 2; 462.357, subdivisions 7, 8. THIS BILL HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN
New, April 21, 2016 Congratulations providers! Your efforts made a big difference! The bill which FCCI alerted you to that would have prohibited providers from collecting the difference between the CCAP rate and your business rate is not being include in the Omnibus bills in either the House or Senate. The only block grant requirement moving forward this session is the background study/fingerprinting component. DHS has indicated they will be reaching out after session to work with providers on other components for next session.
We as providers can and are shaping the future of family child care. Join the FCCI advocacy committee to learn more and be involved in the next round of discussions!